Characters (Stevie Wonder album)
| single4 = My Eyes Don't Cry | single4date = 1988 | single5 = With Each Beat of My Heart | single5date = 1988 | single6 = Free | single6date = 1989 }} }} |rev2 = Chicago Tribune |rev2score = (favorable) |rev3 = Robert Christgau |rev3Score = A−Christgau, Robert. [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?id=1328&name=Stevie+Wonder Consumer Guide Reviews: Characters]. The Village Voice. Retrieved 2011-06-27. |rev4 = Los Angeles Times |rev4score = |rev5 = MusicHound |rev5Score = |rev6 = Q |rev6Score = |rev7 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide |rev7Score = |rev8 = Rolling Stone |rev8Score = (mixed) }} Characters is the twenty-first studio album by American singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder released in late 1987. The album features six singles including "Get It", the Grammy-nominated "Skeletons" and "You Will Know", which both reached number one on the ''Billboard'' R&B Singles chart (the latter being the most-recent American top 40 hit of his career). Overview Although highly anticipated like his last album, 1985's In Square Circle upon its release, the album received mixed reviews from critics, and debuted at number 17 on the US ''Billboard'' 200. It became his first album since Music of My Mind not to reach the top ten of the charts. It also debuted at number one on the Top R&B Albums chart for seven weeks, and spawned six singles including "Get It", "Skeletons" and the ballad "You Will Know" that had attained Billboard R&B chart success. Awards and nominations The album earned Wonder three Grammy Award nominations in 1988–89. The album's first single, "Skeletons" received two nominations for Best R&B Song and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance at the 30th Grammy Awards. He lost Best R&B Song to "Lean On Me" (Bill Withers) and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance to Smokey Robinson's "Just to See Her" at the ceremony. Characters received a nomination at the 31st Grammy Awards for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, losing to Terrence Trent D'Arby's debut Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby. To promote the album, Wonder performed a one-hour "Characters" special on MTV, in which he also performed unreleased material as well as a duet with Stevie Ray Vaughan. Track listing All songs written by Stevie Wonder except where noted. ;Side one #"You Will Know" - 5:00 #"Dark 'n' Lovely" (Gary Byrd, Stevie Wonder) - 4:39 #"In Your Corner" - 4:30 #"With Each Beat of My Heart" - 5:28 #"One of a Kind" - 5:10 ;Side two # "Skeletons" - 5:24 #"Get It" (featuring Michael Jackson) - 4:31 #"Galaxy Paradise" - 3:52 #"Cryin' Through the Night" - 5:48 #"Free" - 4:12 ;CD Bonus tracks # "Come Let Me Make Your Love Come Down" (featuring B.B. King & Stevie Ray Vaughan) - 5:20 #"My Eyes Don't Cry" - 7:05 Personnel *Michael Jackson – Performer, Lead Vocals (track 7) *Stevie Ray Vaughan – Performer, Guitar (track 11) *B.B. King – Performer, Guitar (track 11) * Ben Bridges - Performer, Electric Guitar (track 7) * Gary Olazabal – Engineer, Associate Producer, Mixing, Keyboard Programming (All tracks) * Stevie Wonder – Arranger (All tracks), Synthesizers (tracks 1-4, 6-7, 9, 11), Bass Synth (1, 9), Synth Horns (12), Piano (9-10), Keyboards (including Harpsichord- 10), Lead Vocals (All tracks), Background Vocals (tracks 1-2, 4, 7), Bass (tracks 2, 7-8, 11-12), Drums (1-2, 4-9), Percussion (1-2, 4, 6-7), Strings (1), Bells (1), Drum Machine (3), Harmonica (5) * Recorded at Livingstone Studios, London, England, U.K. Charts Weekly charts Year-end charts Certifications |recent=false}} See also * List of number-one R&B albums of 1987 (U.S.) * List of number-one R&B albums of 1988 (U.S.) References Category:Stevie Wonder albums Category:1987 albums Category:Motown albums Category:Albums produced by Stevie Wonder